Food Price Index: January 2006 — 13 February 2006
Food Prices Up 0.7 Percent
Food prices increased 0.7 percent in January 2006, Statistics New Zealand said today. Prices were up for the grocery
food, soft drinks and confectionery; fruit and vegetables; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food subgroups. Meat,
fish and poultry prices fell.
Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices increased 0.7 percent in January 2006, with the most significant
upward contributions coming from higher prices for dairy products (up 1.4 percent), and bread and bread rolls (up 1.7
percent). These increases were partly offset by lower prices for potato crisps (down 5.3 percent).
Fruit and vegetable prices were up 2.9 percent in January 2006, driven by higher prices for potatoes (up 14.0 percent)
and citrus fruit (up 17.5 percent). These increases were partly offset by lower prices for tomatoes (down 10.6 percent).
Meat, fish and poultry prices decreased 0.2 percent in January 2006, with the most significant downward contribution
coming from lower prices for poultry (down 3.7 percent). For the year to January 2006, food prices increased 2.3
percent, which is the largest annual increase since August 2002 (up 3.0 percent).
Prices increased for all subgroups: grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 1.8 percent); meat, fish and poultry
(up 4.3 percent); restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.5 percent); and fruit and vegetables (up 1.7 percent).
Brian Pink
Government Statistician
ENDS